Bokutachi wa Akuma: Chapter Thirty-Six

“So he's been distant lately?” He dropped his head, listening to one of his younger friend’s sadness over the phone. The caring, shy male let out a long soft sigh, thinking something like this might happen since they did not tell him. “Did you two want to come over for some company? We’re making curry for dinner.” A favorite of the two friends, simple white rice with a delicious curry stew.

Ryota sighed softly, nothing had been like he wanted ever since that night. Like the child he still was, Ryota was hoping for more of a fantasy life. He looked over his shoulder to the living room, seeing Daichi sitting on the couch, staring out the window.

“Well I don't know.” He looked back out of the dining room window, staring at all of the falling leaves. “I mean. Daichi…” He paused, feeling something on his neck; turning slowly to see, he let out a tiny scream and a deep gasp. In hearing him, he had also scared Aiya over the phone. Daichi had been right behind him, breathing softly.

“Is that Aiya?” he spoke softly, looking up to Ryota with soft puppy eyes. “He wants us to go over there doesn't he?” Daichi lowered his gaze, walking off deeper the house.

“I’ll go get ready.” He waved over his shoulder to Ryota as he walked away.

“Ryota?” he paused. “Ryota!” Aiya called out, wanting to know what was going on.

Ryota watched Daichi walk off into his room to go change, considering he was still in his pajamas. Ryota stared silently.

“Daichi said he will come over.” He looked again to see if Daichi was in earshot. “I don't understand how he doesn't know.” It was a secret to him alone, the other knew, and two friends knew; Daichi should have been able to have some idea something was different.

Aiya made a small sound, it had been three months since the mishap that happened between Maruki and Daichi, and yet he had not noticed a thing.

“Well, it's a good thing that he agreed to come over.” Aiya had just finished cleaning up the house again, so the house was guest ready. He turned, watching Maruki cut the vegetables quietly in the kitchen, messing his spotless surfaces. “Well, come over whenever you are ready, just let yourself in.” In times like this, it would make things easier if they all lived together; they all knew that it would not work out if they did, they would all bash heads all the time.

Looking from the cutting board, still cutting up the vegetables, Maruki watched Aiya quietly until he got off the phone.

“Was that Ryota?” He pushed the chopped vegetables to the side, grabbing a new one to start cutting, without even looking as to what he was doing. “So are they coming over?” Aiya hung up the phone, placing it back on the receiver. He nodded, joining Maruki at the kitchen island.

“Yeah they are coming over for dinner.” Aiya let out a soft sigh, holding his feminine fingers on the utensil drawer. He was getting emotional about Daichi, feeling bad that he still didn't know. He held the handle, looking off into space. “Can we tell him tonight please?” his soft eyes scanned over to Maruki, begging him with puppy dog eyes.

He looked down, dropping his knife on the counter gently. It was this conversation again? Aiya had been asking him for weeks if they could tell him, every time Maruki had told him that Daichi wasn't ready to know yet. It wasn't just about Daichi either, it was about Ryota as well, he was the one who wanted to tell him.

His soft, almond shaped eyes rose to meet Aiya's puppy dog eyes.

“Today?” He looked down to the hardwood floor. The young man ran his hand through his short, light brown hair, messing it slightly. “I’ll have to think about it Ai. I mean, its Daichi after all.” even before that faithful night, Daichi was always emotional, and was definitely not capable of taking news easily without having an overwhelming emotion of a sort.

Aiya grabbed himself a knife to start cutting. He closed the drawer gently, trying to hide that he was growing angry on the inside. His eyes fell to the various vegetables on the counter; he grabbed one and chopped it slowly and silently, ignoring Maruki who was standing there silently staring at him. He had chopped three carrots with Maruki staring at him the entire time before he slammed the knife down on the cutting board angrily.

“He's going to find out sooner or later Maruki! I would rather it be by us than some stranger, or those men for all we know from H2O.” He slapped his palm on the marble counter top. “Who would you rather tell him? Us or them?” Aiya slapped his hand down again.

Maruki reached up, grabbing him by the wrist. He looked up to him with a soft, stone face, not affected by his sudden, rare anger. Holding his wrist tightly, Maruki stared up at Aiya sternly, waiting for his true emotions to show.

Aiya bent his wrist back slowly, trying to twist it from Maruki's strong grip. Aiya made soft sounds as he tried, but with over flowing emotions, he didn't have much strength to him. He bit his lip gently, not being able to keep his focus on Maruki. He looked off to the side, feeling tears well in his eyes.

Holding his wrist tightly still while dropping their arms, Maruki pulled Aiya into a hug, holding him tightly. Aiya's hand pressed to his chest, trying to push him away, he was still angry.

“Ai, Ai, Ai. Please.” At the sound of his calm, soft voice, Aiya calmed down, leaning himself on Maruki's shoulder. Maruki grabbed the back of his head tightly; knitting his fingers in Aiya's thick, black hair. The moment that he had grabbed him, Aiya began to sob loudly.

His free arm wrapped tightly around Maruki's shoulder, nuzzling in close to him. Adjusting his feet to stand more comfortably when so close to someone, Aiya began to cry louder. “I don't want to hide it from him anymore. I can’t do it Maa.” Aiya had held a secret from everyone for over five years; he could not hold another secret for another five years, if it ever came to that. The taller black haired boy curled around his smaller friend, clenching to him tightly.

Taking long, sob filled gasps, Aiya's body curled painfully; this was his first break down in a long time, and he obviously needed it.

Maruki pet his hair gently, leaning his forehead against his own. He wanted to get Aiya to calm down, he didn't like seeing him this way, ever. Pressing their foreheads together gently, he could feel that Aiya was burning up from the stress of crying.

“Ai, calm down. I don't like it when you look like this.” With a gently nudge, Maruki pushed Aiya's head away with his own. Gently, he ran his ran his thumb under his eyes, wiping away Aiya's tears, cupping his cheek. He caressed his palm over the soft flesh of Aiya's cheek, wiping away the sticky, clear tears that trickled down.

Leaning into his touch, Aiya sniffed softly, raising his puffy eyes from Maruki's shoulder to meet his eyes. He nodded slowly, keeping his cheek in Maruki's palm.

“I'm sorry Maa.” He spoke softly, small hiccups in his sad voice.

Wiping away the fresh tears that escaped Aiya's eyes, Maruki smiled to him softly, hoping he would be all right for when the other two came over.

Daichi had gotten into some street worthy clothes, standing blankly in the living room, staring at the white wall. Slipping his arm through the arms of his black silk vest, Ryota stopped in the hallway, midway of getting his second arm through the hole.

“Ano, Daichi.” He walked up to Daichi, looking down to him softly. “What are you looking at?” he rose his gaze, looking over the white wall quickly, seeing nothing.

Daichi looked up over his shoulder before walking towards the entrance to further get ready.
There is a fly on the wall.” He spoke over his shoulder to the confused Ryota. “I was just watching it.” He passed by the wall, bending down to get his shoes on.

Ryota looked from Daichi to the pure white wall, seeing nothing at all. He took a few steps forward, looking harder at the wall. A fruit fly. How did Daichi see that, and still not know anything?

“How did you?” he too half a step back, accompanied by a quarter turn to look at him as he got his shoes on. “Oh no.” He quietly groaned to himself, dragging himself to the doorway to get ready as well.

Daichi was beginning to be able to do things more so than before, sometimes it seemed like he knew.

They had gotten ready in silence, leaving their small apartment to the elevator down the hall. Daichi had been silent lately, so the bus ride down to Maruki's apartment being silent was nothing new. They looked at the door silently for a few seconds before knocking on it, waiting for it to open. A few moments had passed an no one came to the door.

“Right.” Ryota whispered to himself out loud, remembering that Aiya had told them to let themselves in. He opened the door, allowing Daichi to go in first. “Gomen Kudasai.” Closing the door behind himself, Ryota looked to Daichi who was still not taking off his shoes.

“Aiya kun? Maruki kun?” Ryota called out, looking over Daichi's shoulder to see in the clean, perfect apartment.

From around the living room corner, Aiya popped his head out, a bright smile on his lips.
“Ryo kun! You are finally here! Dinner is almost ready.” Looking at him, Aiya had no sign of tears in his eyes nor reminisce that he had cried in the first place. “Come on in you two.” From how he spoke, Aiya sounded like a wife from an old married couple. Allowing people to enter without permission and cooking enough food for the entire community.

Ryota had already slipped off his shoes, about to pass Daichi before he noticed that he had still not removed his own.

“Dai chan.” He mumbled decibels over a whisper. “What are you doing? You can take off your shoes.” He pat his roommates shoulder lightly, prompting him to listen.

Slowly turning his head in an ‘Exorcist’ manner, Daichi looked to Ryota over his shoulder, like he had been doing all morning. Keeping his eyes locked on Ryota's, he removed his shoes and stepped up onto the floor level, turning on his toes to face him.

“When was the last time we were here Ryota?” he spoke softly, keeping a quiet conversation with Ryota alone.

“Eh?” He parted his lips, looking at Daichi who was taller on the higher floor, yet was still shorter than he was. “A, a few months ago, why?” Waiting for Daichi's answer to his contradicting question, he walked away.

“Just wondering.” He walked around the corner into the living room, leaving Ryota standing in the entrance.

The entire house smelled like a perfect blend of stewing vegetables and classic Japanese curry. Ryota loved curry and rice himself, the scent alone was making his mouth water.

Scattered around the living room, Ryota and Maruki sat on the same couch, the sectional that was adjacent to the window. Aiya was staring at Maruki silently, piercing through him with a cold stare. Catching the glimpse of him in the corner of his eye, Maruki looked over slowly to see him staring. His lip twitched slightly, he knew why Aiya was staring at him.

“Ne, Ryota, would you like to come check the food with me?” He needed to get him away from Daichi so he could ask him whether it was alright to tell him or not.

Ryota stiffened up, invisible puppy ears propped up on his head.

“Yes please!” Food was one of his weaknesses, even if it was to be served to him anyways, he was still weak to it.

The two of them rose, walking over to the stove in the kitchen, Ryota hopping around Maruki like a bunny. Lifting the cover of the curry pot, Maruki grabbed the wooden spoon and stirred it slowly, looking over his shoulder to see if Daichi was paying attention to them, he wasn't.

“Ne, Ryota.” He looked to him from the pot. “I need to ask you something.” As they were the only four that knew of Daichi, there was nothing else that they could possibly need to talk about other then that.

He leaned against the counter, placing his hand on it slowly, it obviously had to be about that.

“What is it Maa?” he looked over into the living room, looking at Daichi as well. “Is it about him?” His roommate, his fellow Musuko, he was something more than a friend to him he was like a brother.

Maruki nodded, looking down to the pot as he stirred it gently, making sure not to spill it over.

“Un.” He glanced up at Ryota who was still staring at Daichi. “Ai asked me to tell him again. I know I cant, because this decision is up to you Ryo.” Tapping the spoon on the edge of the pot, he placed it gently back on the rest, the curry was still not thick enough.

Ryota turned, facing the living room fully now.

“I can’t tell him yet Maa.” He glanced over at him. “He's not ready yet.. I'm not ready yet.” It was a shared responsibility from all of them when and if he was told. Ryota had the second worst of it after Maruki, he lived with Daichi and if anything was to happen, it was on him. Maruki still felt guilty, and the agitation growing inside of him came from that it was an accident.

Maruki licked his lips, looking down to the floor again. It was his decision, he could not force him to do something he didn't want to do.

“Okei, Ryo.” He looked up to him. “Just promise me that you will tell him at some point before anyone else can?” There was hope in his eyes, he really needed Ryota to promise him for his sake, and everyone else’s.

Ryota was hesitant, but he nodded, agreeing with Maruki that he would tell him. Giving him a pat on the back, Maruki smiled up at him happily.

“Thank you Ryota kun.” He turned back to the pot, being too impatient to wait any longer. “Are you all hungry?” He was bubbly again, starved and wanting everyone else to be hungry as well.

The other two stood up, making their way to the kitchen.

“Starved.” Aiya skipped to the kitchen, the next best thing to cooking with Maruki, was eating it with him.

Reaching into the cupboard, Aiya grabbed all of them a dish and handed them out. Since he was nearest and the main cook, Maruki was the one to dish out the food for him and his friends. It was a small task, but an honorable one.